Metal Finishes in Bathroom Design

Like all areas of the home, trends in bathroom colors and finishes can change over time. For many years, satin nickel was among the most popular finish for bathroom faucets and accessories, but times are changing and new finishes are beginning to rise in popularity. Learn what colors and finishes are trending now to help create the perfect bathroom design both for today and for years to come.

Long-Lasting Finishes

It’s easy to look back through time and date a bathroom to the decade it was built simply by its color. From the black and white bathrooms of the 40s to the pink and black of the 60s, many trends were fairly short lived, which means that homeowners either needed to live with an outdated room or change the color scheme more frequently than is typically affordable.

Today’s colors and finishes are attempting to change this. Warm, natural colors and hues are beginning to show up everywhere, with the intent that these can be used for several years without dating a room. This includes the metal finishes you’ll find in bathrooms from the showerhead to your towel warmers.

Warm Colors

For many years stainless steel and its cousin satin nickel were the most popular metal finishes for home interiors. And while they are still used fairly frequently, new finishes are beginning to surge forward that completely change the look and feel of the bathroom.

These new finishes are primarily warm in color – oil rubbed bronze, copper, satin bronze, and antique brass. Unlike stainless steel, they’re meant to invite you into the room with a warm, cozy feeling that will hopefully prevent the bathroom from becoming outdated any time soon.

Mixed Finishes

Another emerging trend is the use of mixed finishes within one room, or blending different metals such whether a mix of brass and bronze, or a mix of chrome and copper. So you may install some accessories like hooks and towel ring in copper, while others are still in chrome or satin nickel. 

This is done for two reasons: one it allows homeowners to customize the look of the room, blending metal finishes to match the rest of the colors and styles of the space. And in the case of manufacturers not producing an entire line of items in copper or bronze, it enables you to mix and match and still get the warmth of the new metals, while enjoying a broader selection of pieces to choose from in other finishes.

For example, you may choose a new faucet, shower valve, and showerhead in oil rubbed bronze for your bathroom. And in the same space, you install a towel warmer, some hotel shelves and a toilet tissue holder in satin nickel. All the pieces should have the same basic style to help them blend together, and the two hues – warm and cool – should be reflected in the rest of the bathroom, such as tan floor tiles with gray walls.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match your finishes to get both the look and the accessories you want in your bathroom. This allows you to get the luxury pieces you want – like soft, warmed towels after a shower – with some of the on-trend finishes that will help prevent your bathroom from becoming dated too quickly.

Warm Up Your Bathroom

The focus of today’s trends is warmth, natural finishes, and long-lasting style. Be sure to mix a few of these attributes into your bathroom design to help ensure that you love it just as much 10 years from now as you do today.

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